Typically, biopsy samples are preserved in special preservatives and sent to a pathology laboratory for processing3. Then, a pathologist looks at it under a microscope to complete the diagnosis. He is specialized in interpreting laboratory tests and evaluating cells, tissues, and organs to diagnose diseases1. The first step of tissue processing is ensuring that the tests are accurate based on the patient’s characteristics. Depending on the type of assessment required, the following steps may take hours or days. Pathologists identify other factors that affect treatment or recovery. These may include genetic characteristics that can determine treatment options or predict chances of recovery3. When he has finished, the biopsy tissue is stored for a long time. This way, the primary tumor can be checked if cancer recurs or spreads in the future. The pathologist can determine whether the original primary tumor has returned, or if it is a new tumor by looking at the sample again. He can also re-analyze the samples when new treatments based on tumor genetics emerge. Frequently, biopsy samples are used for research to discover new treatments and targeted therapies, only with the patient’s consent3. 

Like every medical procedure, biopsies have some risks. For instance, there is a low risk of bleeding, infection, or tumor seeding. The latter is a rare condition in which a needle inserted into a tumor during a biopsy frees and spreads cancer cells. It is frequently known as needle tract or tract seeding because cancer cells grow along the needle tract. Much research has been performed on this topic, concluding that the incidence of needle track seeding is minimal (between 1 and 3 percent). Overall, while needle seeding during a biopsy is not impossible, it is uncommon, and biopsy benefits far outweigh the risks1.